Saudi Saturday 2/11/10

I have not been able to post for the past few days due to internet connections here at Steineke Hall. I have raised the issue with the head of the group in hopes that something can be done to improve the connections.

Since then things have been rocking along. Thanks to a good friend and colleague, I was able to use their Vonnage phone to call home. Needless to say Carolyn was upset that I had not called or emailed for a few days. Can't blame her. I was extremely frustrated (see my last blog). Right now everyone is out running errands, so the connection is decent.

Took the bus into Kobar to go to the LuLu hypermarket for some provisions. It is a large supermarket like a Super Kroger ot HEB back in Texas, only with a lot of Arabic labels, which make it fun to figure out the right thing to get. Like honey. Today I bought a jar of honey from a local distributor. It looked just fine, but when I got the the room and tasted it it was no more than heavy corn syrup! I'll take it back and stick to the European brands that I know. I did buy a jar from a flea market (for a hefty price) that came from Yemen. I was able to taste it before buying and it was very nice, but could not tell you the source of the necter. There is brand from Australia that I've purchased and it is honey from a Blue Gum tree and another from a Yellow Box tree. Both are quite different in taste - good but not a favorite for my palette. The Black Forest honey (a dark honey) from Europe is really nice, as is the Acacia honey (a light honey) that is a favorite in this part of the world. It is interesting how much of the world's honey comes from China and from the USA. Clover honey - the American standby is found everywhere. I still find the local honeys of Texas my favorite - dark and strong and really full of flavor that changes with the seasons - bits of flavor of the Chinese Tallow, spring wildflowers, fall blooming trees and wildflowers, like goldenrod. The Hill Country honey will have a tinge of Mesquite and other flowering plants the drape those hills. Some apiarist will move their hives to focus on one specific bloom, hence you find the orange blossom honey, the clover honey, and such. One that I really like is a Mesquite honey from Trader Joe's out in California. What are some of your favorites?

Nice day! I is finally warming a little. The past week it has been on the cold side here, not freezing, but in the 40's in the morning, so it was a pleasant excursion. Back in the room for now. Am planning on going back into old Kobar with Omer to do some sketching in the streets. Should be a nice relaxing thing to do.